New Zealand: Residents report deer moving into urban areas, gardens take a hammering
According to the Department of Conservation’s website, seven species of deer have become established in the wild in New Zealand.
By Matthew Tso
Stuff
Dec 28 2020
Lower Hutt residents are giving up their vege patches as deer move in on urban areas.
Margaret Willard said the animals had become so bold she has not bothered replanting her silverbeet following a daring nighttime raid.
“I’ve given up on the vege garden. They came down the steps and ate the greens.”
She started noticing increasing amounts of deer sign around her home about five years ago and said the damage to the undergrowth from trampling and grazing was very noticeable.
Stokes Valley resident Stig Brinkley has been spotting deer on his property every other week for the last couple of years. Before that he said he’d not seen a deer near his house in 20 years.
